Drs. Harry Gibbs and [Gabriel Lopez-Berestein] will serve as the Co-leaders for the Administrative Core for MDACC, along with Dr. Reynold Lopez-Enriquez for the UPRCCC. They will be responsible for the [day-to-day direction] of all Partnership activities as well as priority planning and decision making processes. [Drs. DuBois and Frontera, as Lead/Contact Pis, will be responsible for the overall management, implementation and coordination of all Partnership activities through the Administrative Core.] As MDACC values its commitment to eliminating cancer health disparities in minority populations, it is imperative to point out the strategic placement of the overall management of MDACC's Administrative Core in the Office of Institutional Diversity (OID) under Dr. Harry Gibb's leadership expertise. [Dr. Gibbs has served as the Co-leader of the Administrative Core for the last 5 years. As Vice President of Institutional Diversity for MDACC, he reports directly to Drs. DuBois and Mendelsohn. His continued participation further strengthens MDACC's ability to promptly respond to diversity initiatives resulting from Partnership activities as Dr. Gibb's office is charged with: Developing and implementing strategies/programs to enhance MDACC's efforts to recruit and retain a diverse workforce, Measuring the success of diversity initiatives, Sponsoring workforce seminars and lecture series that foster an environment of inclusion at MDACC in which all members of the workforce have an equal opportunity to succeed, Integrating diversity strategy with other change initiatives, and Linking diversity to the institution's business and strategic plan.] Administrative Core Operations [Although the Administrative Core has offices at MDACC and UPRCCC, it functions as one office.] The Administrative Core is responsible for the overall management, implementation and coordination of Partnership activities. Although there are roughly 2000 miles between MDACC and the UPRCCC, the Administrative Cores has functioned seamlessly and will continue to do so throughout the next five years. To ensure solid oversight of the Administrative Core, the Pis have met with the Administrative Core Co-leaders and program directors to determine what has worked best during the past five years. Additionally, the Pis and the Co-directors have been in regular contact with other funded U54 administrators as a result of attending MI/CCP annual meetings and being invited to participate in other U54 Partnership's meetings. The Administrative Core's Mission is to be a recognized leader and resource in providing quality customer service in meeting the administrative and communication needs of both internal and external target audiences integral to the Partnership's success. It is designed as a support core to provide assistance with the daily activities of the Partnership, in addition to developing short-term and long-term plans (with the Pis) for the successful achievement of Partnership initiatives. The Administrative Core also serves as the primary vehicle for receiving and distributing all media materials (press releases, brochures, newsletters) and documentation (spreadsheets, proposals, progress reports, and other requests) related to the Partnership.] [Our vision is to seek out, foster, and support collaborative relationships with our target audiences to further Partnership initiatives in developing a stronger cancer program at MDACC and the UPRCCC aimed at understanding the reasons behind the significant cancer disparities in the Hispanic population. Principles - By our actions, we: Are sensitive to the needs and requests asked of us. Are respectful of the varying communication needs and proceed accordingly. Promote and reward teamwork and inclusiveness. Hold ourselves, and each other, accountable for quality customer service. Create an environment conducive to trust, collaboration, and productivity. Identify and solve problems in a timely manner Purpose - As open, ongoing communication is paramount to a Partnership with successful outcomes, the Administrative Core's communication plan is designed to: Provide a framework for planning for and documenting the exchange of information both within and outside the Partnership, Enhance visibility and increase exposure of the Partnership at both institutions, Cultivate positive media coverage, Communicate Partnership initiatives, Increase awareness and involvement of specific, targeted groups of individuals (e.g trainees, potential collaborators, future faculty recruits, and community organizations) Generate support from senior leadership, Partnership committees, NIH officials, the government, Serves as a change agent at both institutions, Foster continuous two-way communication within the Partnership, Establish the Partnership's overall image, advance its agenda, and influence officials at both institutions.] Goals and Objectives - As the primary administrative offices for the Partnership, the Administrative Core's goals are to: Foster interactions between funded investigators at both institutions Coordinate and arrange scheduled meetings, seminars, and retreats Serve as a liaison for the Partnership between institutional officials Manage the Partnership's overall budget [(fiscal oversight}] Facilitate Partnership reviews from internal and external committees [Provide secretarial, personnel and other resources support as requested to meet the goals of the grant for the Pis as well as all funded investigators.] Partnership Duties - The Administrative Core will continue to be responsible for: 1. Timely communication between the three oversight committees (EC, IAC, and PSC) and administrative support as needed. 2. Timely communication between project, program, and core co-leaders and administrative support as needed. 3. Timely communication between Institutional Communication Offices and local media. 4. Coordination of all Partnership meetings (videoconferences, teleconferences, workshops, seminars, business meetings, etc.), including travel arrangements 5. Support services for all Partnership meetings (workshops, seminars, conferences, etc.), including agendas, advertisements, meeting notes, handouts, etc. 6. Coordination of Partnership activities among the Office of Educational Programs, Office of Institutional Diversity, President's Office, Office of the Chief Academic Officer, Office of the Medical Officer, Office of Protocol Research, and specific Research and Clinical Divisions and Departments. 7. Accurate record keeping of all Partnership events and activities. 8. Financial management of development funds, including monitoring expenditures for appropriateness and compliance with institutional and governmental regulations. 9. Production and distribution of all literature and educational materials related to the Partnership. 10. All correspondence between the Partnership and official agencies, such as the NCI. 11. Oversight of the project and program evaluation, selection, and pribritization process, from an administrative standpoint. 12. Website Maintenance and Updates. 13. Database maintenance. 14. Identification of other funding sources for co-leaders. 15. Assistance in preparing and processing grant applications, pharmaceutical contracts and clinical trial agreements. 16. Serving as Ex officio members on committees.